Power Play
by Hawky21
Summary: Tori Vega was an engima, and Andre was determined to figure her out. Even if that meant playing her game of one-upmanship and sexual favours.


**A/N: This is hopefully going to be a new take on a Tandre realtionship. It's one I haven't seen before anyway. The plan is for it to run side by side with canon. Give it a go and let me know what you think.**

_0o0o0o_

Tori Vega was an enigma.

She was a puzzle that I couldn't help but try and solve. She had managed to maintain some semblance of sanity in a household that had her sister prancing around in glittery dresses thinking she can sing. That was impressive enough. She didn't believe she was good enough for Hollywood Arts, I still struggled to believe that one. And she managed to walk around with big round eyes portraying innocence and a hint of naivety.

Now, as I lay in her bed in my boxers spent from the evenings activity, I knew that wasn't true.

I was on my front with my head surrounded by pillows as my mind drifted. I could feel the cold touch of her finger tracing my name in my back. **_Andre. _**She did it over and over again, as if she was committing my name to memory, as if what we just did was something she could so easily forget.

"Tell me about Hollywood Arts?"

I turned my head and looked up at her. Her normally straight hair had turned a little frizzy and a little of the make up around her lips had smudged yet she still looked as good as ever. The fact that she was still only lying there in a bra and skimpy shorts didn't hurt either. "What's to know? It's just like any other school."

"I'm sure that's not true." Tori said, her finger still roaming my back. "I don't think all other schools have students that know and love music quite like you."

I took the compliment in stride and remembered her performance from a few hours ago. I had always been attracted to her, from the moment I'd walked through the front door of the Vega household to work with Trina. I figured I would have to wait awhile and get to know her a bit before asking her out. But came to me. She kissed me moments after her parents left and had only just stopped. I wasn't even sure when clothes came off or when we ended up in her room.

I didn't have her pegged for the type of girl to just jump into bed with someone, just like that. Maybe I had read her wrong, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

She seemed to be able to read my thoughts. "This can't happen again." Tori says, her face deadly serious. "I got caught up in the moment, with the performance and everything." She paused and I remember everything those lips are capable of doing. "Starting a new school…I need friends, not…you know?"

For someone who had all the confidence in the world half an hour ago she seemed to be wracked with nerves. "I get it." I lie effortlessly. Our last exchange had proved that I had learnt so much more about Tori Vega in the last hour than I had in the last few weeks, yet I was all too aware that it was still far too little.

I stood and looked for my t-shirt. "What are you doing?"

She's on her feet as well and my eyes are automatically drawn to her tiny waist line and legs that seem to go on forever. I'm not proud to admit it took me a moment to find my voice. "You said…"

"I said we couldn't do it again. I didn't say we were finished."

Tori stared at me with baby brown eyes that I wasn't sure were quite as genuine as she wanted me to believe.

Tori Vega was an enigma. One I was determined to solve, right after I had finished removing her shorts.

_0o0o0o_

"Jade!"

My warning fell on deaf ears as the demon in tight black clothing poured her coffee over Tori's head. The class seemed to gasp in shock, all of them convinced that Jade had finally crossed the line. I didn't really know what they were so surprised about. I mean, the Devil Wore Prada, right? Tori's expression changed from horrified to furious in a matter of seconds and before I knew it she was on her feet – having had enough of playing the dog – and was out the door.

The final bell sounded moments later and the sound of scraping chairs and excitable teenagers filled my ears. Yet, I could hear one person above everybody else. "You know that wasn't cool, Jade." Beck Oliver, ever the voice of reason.

"I disagree. She's the one who likes pouring coffee over people I thought she might've liked some of her own medicine."

My close group of friends had gathered around me. The arguing couple in Jade and Beck, the ditsy yet loveable Cat and the socially awkward possibly sociopathic Robbie. It was a strange group, I'll admit. One that had formed out of proximity and high pressures of a performing arts schools rather than actual friendship and bonding. But I was a man that liked to keep things simple, and it worked. So why change it?

Jade and Beck had continued arguing even though I had long since stopped listening and only started paying a little attention when my name came up. "Andre. Will you please tell Jade what she did was wrong."

"Why me?"

I didn't really feel like dealing with a scorned Jade. Hell didn't have enough fire to fight her back with.

"She's not exactly going to listen to the other two, is she?" Beck said.

He had a point. Cat and Robbie weren't exactly the poster children for mental health. Cat was currently in her own world, entertaining herself by twirling around and around in circles. I imagine there a many colours floating about in her head. Robbie had his wooden – and not at all creepy puppet – Rex in his arm and was currently pursuing a private conversation with him.

I sighed and turned to Jade. "You were wrong for what you did to Tori." She gave me the finger. _Oh what the hell. _"That's wonderful. You know, you should really talk to someone about your anger. A Councillor? A Therapist? Your cellmate?"

Jade threw me a fake smile. The kind only she could pull off that meant, _Good one, but you're going to pay for that later. _"I'm sorry that your new BFF wasn't strong enough to cut it here. Not everyone can. You should know that by now, Harris."

"Okay. Let's go." Beck said quickly with an arm around Jade's shoulder, clearly trying to hurry her out of the classroom. Before he left he turned back to me, "You should probably find her and make sure she's alright though, man."

Leaving that humdinger of responsibility to me, he left me too stew in my own thoughts. I barely noticed when Robbie emerged from his conversation with Rex and tapped me on the shoulder. "Do you think Tori would go out with me?"

_No. _"Maybe." I say, "But you would have to ditch the puppet first."

_0o0o0o_

I head to her house that evening and tell myself that it's just to check up on her. Trina lets me in, all cured from her swollen tongue from those Chinese Herb Gurgles. I still didn't know what they were, but I made a mental note to Google it later.

Trina, seemingly in one of her more helpful moods, leaves to go and let her know that I'm here. She was pretty, there was no denying that. It was just a shame that her looks came wrapped up in a bundle of crazy that was too much for most to handle.

She reappeared at the top of the stairs. "She'll be down in a minute." Trina only pauses for the briefest of moments. "She won't tell me what happened at school. All I know is she stormed in a few hours ago and has locked herself in her room ever since."

The protective sister was a routine I had seen many times before, but never from Trina. It suited her, thinking about somebody else for a change. It humanized her. "It's nothing." I tried to brush it off, but the look on her face told me she wasn't buying that for a second. "It was Jade being Jade."

Trina looked outraged. Once again, I wasn't sure why. You didn't expect flowers and candy when dealing with Jade West. "What did that psycho bitch do now?"

I wasn't really sure how to put what happened in Sikowitz's class into words. Or, more accurately, how to put it into words to stop Trina from flying off the handle and doing something stupid in the name of her little sister. It was honourable, really, and I respected her a little more for her noble intentions. But Jade wasn't someone you tangled with lightly, and I had more than a sneaking suspicion that Tori was more than capable of holding her own.

Thankfully I was saved from having to answer as the person in question appeared at the top of the staircase. She wore jogging bottoms and a hooded top with the hood pulled over her head and thin glasses covering her eyes. My eyes lingered a little too long. She even managed to look sexy in sweats.

"I'm fine, Trina. Really." The older Vega gave her a look that told both of us in no uncertain terms that she wasn't buying it, but let it go. Probably because I was there. Trina and I hadn't had too many encounters with each other, but none of them had been exactly "friendly".

"Fine." She said in a huff. I could smell a temper tantrum coming. "Maybe you can convince her to stay at Hollywood Arts."

Trina stomped up the stairs, leaving me and Tori to it. Slowly, she descended the stairs but I remained where I was. I wouldn't trust myself if I got too close to her. "You're really thinking about leaving?"

Tori shrugged. "Maybe. Everyone there's crazy talented. What if I'm not good enough?"

"Bullshit."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Bull-_shit_." I repeated, searching for any sign of genuine emotion. I found a flicker of surprise, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it came. "Nobody performs and gets an ovation like you got the other night and then questions whether or not they are good enough to attend the school who's show they literally just stole." I paused for a moment and waited for any sort of reaction. When I didn't get one, I continued. "I don't know if your just fishin', or if you're playing the sympathy card, but don't try to tell me you're not well aware that you one of the best performers in Hollywood Arts."

Silence. For a long moment, then. "Your head must be a fascinating place to be, Andre."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

And then she laughed. Loudly. And I felt myself struggling to push down the frustration which swelled up inside of me. _Is she laughing at me? _Her face still filled with her unexplained mirth she took hold of my hand and tugged – leading me to the kitchen. "C'mon Andre. Let's get a drink."

I leant on top of the counter and watched as she poured out two glasses of lemonade. "Something funny?"

As I asked that, I could see the smile on her face only grow wider. She handed me the glass and I took a sip. Bitter. "Don't you think your overthinking things?"

"No." I said. I was more sure of that every passing second. "You've got this whole innocent, naive, choir girl; should be starring in Disney movies thing going on and we both know that's not you." She didn't say anything to that, she only drank. I followed suit. "I guess I'm just most curious as to why."

Tori stared back at me and I was sure she wasn't going to answer. When she did, she begun with a small suppressed laugh. "Okay," She said. "I like things to go my way. When people look at me like – what did you call me? A choir girl? – It's easier to make sure that happens."

There was more to it than that. Of that, I was sure. But I would accept it for now. "And that actually works?"

She shrugged. "I got you, didn't I?" Tori left her glass atop the counter with no coaster. She did like to live dangerous – and stepped towards me. Before I knew it her fingers were moving up and down my forearms and playing with the material at the bottom of my t-shirt. "Now. I have a question for you. How about a repeat performance of last night?"

Before I could say a word her lips were on my neck. Her tongue moved in circles around my flesh in a manor I was sure would leave a mark tomorrow. I made no move to stop her. Tori Vega was talented. "You said that was a one night only thing."

She moved away from my neck and looked up at me. I was close enough to kiss her. I forcibly stopped myself from moving a muscle. "I changed my mind." She smiled. Just like the lemonade, it was more bitter than sweat. "But my dad's going to be home soon and I don't think he'd approve of finding his daughter in a compromising situation with someone she just met. He might even go as far as banning me from seeing you."

This was just a game to her. I was just a toy, a plot device manipulated by Tori for her own amusement. The unasked question was there. Do I risk it? If I get caught then that's it, game over, and any time around her would be severally limited. Would that be such a bad thing? If I walked away than that was like an acceptance to play I game I didn't yet understand against a player whose motives I couldn't yet read.

I already knew what my answer was. I was a competitive guy, and I didn't like to lose. The only way to make sure that that didn't happen was to keep going, even if it did feel like navigating in the dark.

"I should really get going." I said, studying her body language carefully. "I'm supposed to meet Beck in a bit."

To her credit she didn't give anything away. "Maybe next time then." She leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, her lips lingering a few too many seconds to be considered strictly friendly. "I'll see you around, Andre."

I let myself out and stood on her front porch for several seconds trying to get my head around what had just happened. Whatever it was, I was almost certain I would end up regretting it sooner rather than later.

_What the hell have you gotten yourself into now, Andre. _

_0o0o0_

**_Read and review guys. Next chapter coming soon. _**


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